It's Time To Come Home
by freedomnova
Summary: She was too good for him so he left her before the world ended. He believed her dead after the outbreak after all how could a pampered princess survive. Kept alive by men who hurt her for their own pleasure she was ready to die, ready to give up. She stared down the barrel of the gun, but in the moment she thought would be her last, she saw him and once again had a reason to live.
1. Finding Hope

**AN- So Since I was sick yesterday I decided to finally listen to my friends and watch the walking dead. Well turns out I ended up not sleeping at all or resting I spent all of yesterday, last night and this morning watching all three season. So of course I have to write a story when I finally did get some sleep and I had a dream or an idea about Daryl. (I would say this would take place mid season three back when they still didn't want to help anyone outside of their own group.)**

* * *

"_You're better then this!" she yelled from the hallway as he threw his clothing into a backpack, "You know that you are!"_

_He looked up at her pausing for a moment as he saw the tears in her eyes he could tell by the look in her eyes she was hurt, upset but also angry. He wanted to look away from her, but even now he couldn't. Her gown hugged her in all the right places and while he thought she looked beautiful in it he knew just the look of the dress proved this wasn't the place for him, she wasn't the girl for him or rather he wasn't the guy for her she deserved so much more then he could ever give her. He turned back to his bag throwing the last bit of his clothing into the bag without saying anything back to her. He stood and carefully pushed by her and continued down the hall._

"_You are going to give everything up just because he's out of jail?" she followed after him, "He's no good for you!" _

_He turned to her as he reached the front door, "He's my brother he needs me." _

"_And what about me?" she asked, "What about me?" _

"_I'm not right for you, I never was this was a fools dream to think I could fit into your life, go find your rich doctor who will say all the right things, do all the right things." He paused, "Or your boss he bought you that dress I see the way he looks at you." _

"_We have been over this! I don't care how he looks at me I love you!" She shook her head and was about to say more, but he cut her off._

"_I'm never going to give you that life." He nodded to her dress, "I can't give you the life you grew up with, your parents hate me, and they know I'm no good I'm white trash while you are a southern bell." _

"_Don't say that about yourself." Her tears began to fall again as she moved forward and kissed him softly, "You are not white trash you are more of a man then any of these rich men around here." _

_He dropped his bag and wrapped his arms around her waist and he kissed her back he wanted to stay he wanted to be with her, but he couldn't he knew that and she should know that too. He broke away softly resting his forehead on hers, "I have to go." he whispered as he let go of her and took a step back, he picked up his bag and swung it over his shoulder. _

"_You walk out that door don't you ever come back." She told him. He paused in the doorway for a moment but then continued on. He walked out the door and down the front steps of the porch. Slowly he walked over to old beat up pickup truck and threw his bag inside before he opened up the old door that creaked so loud it seemed the whole neighbor hood would wake. He got up inside turning the key the engine roared to life echoing in the still night air. Glancing up one last time at the grand house he saw her hurrying out the door and stopping on the porch. "Please!" she yelled, "Please don't!" His eyes met hers for a moment he felt his heart breaking, no woman would be able to make him feel the way she made him feel. He put the car in reveres and backed away. As he drove away he watched her in the review mirror fall to her knees sobbing. He wanted nothing more then to turn around and go back to her, to wrap his arms around her and say he would never leave, but this was for the best her life could be so much more without him. She was meant to be a wife to a wealthy man. He should have known from the start this was no place for him._

Daryl opened his eyes taking a deep sigh he sat up he had the dream about her again. He sat up carefully not to hit his head on the top bunk. So much had changed since he had last seen her that night. He knew she was gone now, all the money in the world couldn't have saved her and none of the men she would have found could have kept her safe. All those men with money were nothing without it. Perhaps if he had stayed, if he knew what was coming he could have saved her. He shook his head it was a useless to think of the what ifs in his life. He heard Judith crying and followed the noise he saw her in Carl's arms

"You all right with er?" he asked looking at the kid.

"She won't stop crying." The boy said, "And I don't know where anyone is."

Daryl walked over to the formula and made the baby a bottle then took her from Carl's arms.

"You go get some sleep you look run down." The boy didn't argue he listened to Daryl and hurried off to one of the cells to sleep. Daryl turned back to the baby and placed the bottle in her mouth as she quickly latched on.

"There ya go." he told her, "Happy now?" he sat down next in an empty chair as he let his mind wander back to the woman in his dreams. He didn't know why he was thinking of her so much lately it was useless it just added more pain. In all this time here he had lost so many people including his own brother, but why thinking of this woman did it hurt so much more? He closed his eyes and in that moment he saw the flash of her smile and her beautiful brown eyes staring at him her blonde hair bouncing in the sunlight. He opened his eyes and glanced down at that baby who had already finished half the bottle. He took the bottle from her mouth knowing he shouldn't let her take the whole thing without burping her. He lifted her up on to his shoulder and began to pat her back.

"_Why don't you try?" she asked him as she had the baby leaned up against her shoulder as she patted her on the back. He laughed and walked up behind her and kissed her on the cheek _

"_Baby's ain't my thing." He told her walking around her he sat across from her in a chair on the other side of the table. It was true he never saw himself with a child he wouldn't even know where to start. _

"_But you will have to learn one day." She said with a smile, but it caused him to frown._

"_No I ain't ever having one of my own so why learn?" he glanced away from her knowing she wanted kids one day, but he didn't want to think of the future he didn't want to think of her future because he knew he wouldn't be part of it. Yet his words didn't falter her smile instead she kept patting the baby on the back. _

"_I'll change your mind about that one day." She told him, "Plus even if you don't have your own children you never know when you will have to help with one." _

"_No you ain't ever changing my mind, My old man was no good I wouldn't even know where to start." He frowned she had a way of making him want to tell her the truth._

"_You aren't him." She smiled her brown eyes meeting his, "You will be a wonderful father." She stood up and walked over to him and kissed him on the lips and while he was distracted kissing her she placed the baby in his arms. She broke the kiss and looked at the child in his arms then handed him a bottle. "You should feed him before he starts to cry." She took a step back and folded her arms watching him hold the baby._

_Daryl froze once the baby was placed in his arms, what was he supposed to do? He glanced down at the baby wanting to give him back. When the baby started to cry he carefully placed the bottle in her mouth. "This ain't funny." He growled glaring at her. _

"_You're a natural." She told him ignoring his words, ignoring his glare she had learned a long time to look past his act of being a tough guy she didn't fear him, she didn't care he glared more then he smiled. She knew him better then he knew himself. She watched as his eyes left hers and went to the little boy in his arms. She saw the glare melt from his face as he smirked at the baby his poster seemed to relax and he softened looking more natural holding the baby. _

He heard Judith let out a burp that brought him from his thoughts. "Good one." He told the baby and he took her back into both arms and put the bottle back in her mouth. "If only she could see me now." He muttered, "She wouldn't believe I actually enjoy spending time with you."

"You're up." Carol said with a smile as she walked into the room with clean clothing she had just finished washing.

"Yeah the kid got me up." He nodded his head to the baby drinking in his lap.

"You're a natural with her." Carol told him she didn't notice the slight frown that crossed his face she never was able to read him the way _she_ had once read him.

"Practice." He muttered.

"You've been around babies before?" she asked surprised.

"Why the surprise?" he asked, "An ex of mine her watched her sister's kid a lot and always insisted I help her to get the practice in for when we would eventuall-" he stopped he didn't want to talk about her.

Carol was surprised Daryl didn't seem like the type that would settle down in a relationship long enough for a woman to even think of having a family with him. At times she had thought about starting something with Daryl but she thought that was only because of the lengths he went to find her little girl, but she thought that was all due to everything that happened in the world. She wondered about his past who he was before the world had changed.

"Mind taking her for a bit?" Daryl asked as he walked over to Carol the baby in his arms.

"Not at all." She said with a smile scooping the baby right up from him.

Daryl walked outside his cross bow in hand his eyes fell on to Rick who was loading up a car he walked over, "Where ya heading?" he asked.

"Just going to look for more supplies Judith is running low on just about everything." Rick told him.

"I'll join you." He knew going out would help clear his mind at least out there he could focus on killing some walkers and not focus on any thoughts on her.

"Sure." Rick never argued about taking Daryl along he always was help, never getting in the way. "I'm thinking of going farther this time we have just about used up the stores around here."

Daryl didn't respond instead he fired up his motorcycle waiting for Rick to be ready.

* * *

She winced as they shoved her forward in front of them her hands bound behind her back.. She had tried to run many times but it only made them angry. They told her she was lucky they kept her alive kept her as they called it safe. Bruises covered her body from them, they took out frustration on her, they forced themselves on her saying it was the least she could do for them. She and longed to be dead far longer ago then now. This wasn't living, every night being used again and again like she was nothing. They forced her to walk and carry heavy bags on her back that they didn't want to carry, when she stumbled she would get hit, when she was to tired to walk on they would make camp, then she could hardly sleep for the men took turns with her.

"Get going." One hissed at her as he took off her restraints. "Gather supply's from the store." They shoved her inside carefully they followed her through the window

She walked inside and picked up a red basket and quickly began filling it with some of the basic food they would need. She reached for a can of corn, but accidently knocked into to the ground she froze as the noise echoed through the store.

"Dumb Bitch." One man yelled and slapped her hard enough to make her fall to the ground with a yelp, her basket hit the floor and more food hit the ground with more crashing.

* * *

The two were quickly gathering food for the baby knowing that they would lose daylight soon and they still had far to travel back to the prison,

"Think she's old enough for this?" Daryl questioned as he held up some Gerber baby food.

"Get it anyways." Rick told him, "We haven't seen it at any local stores we might as well get it now, who knows when we could come out this far again.

Daryl gathered as much as he could carry in his bag while Rick grabbed more formula and bottles. Both men froze when they heard the commotion from the other side of the store. "Walkers." Rick hissed as both men pulled out their weapons slowly they walked closer to the noise ready to take out the first thing that moved.

The group of rough men pulled put their guns when they heard something moving closer. "Dumb bitch told them we were here."

"What are they?" Another asked, "Walkers or men?"

"It doesn't matter." Said someone else, "We kill them."

The girl stayed on the ground tears filling her eyes; she hated this life she wanted to die. She didn't want to keep fighting. What ever was coming this time she would make sure she would die, she would make sure what ever was out there would get her this time. Times like this the men would forget about her, only a few times did one grab her and pull her back.

"Get ready." On hissed as a figure came into view, without hesitating the man pulled the trigger.

"Fuck." Daryl yelled, as his shoulder was his by a bullet. "Human." He grunted as he raised his bow again ignoring the pain in his arm.

But before Rick could answer more bullets flew their direction, both men dodged for cover hiding and only showing themselves long enough to shoot at a target. They were out numbed, but both men knew the group before them didn't have training like they did. It didn't take long for them to shoot the group of six men. Rick and Daryl walked over to the dead men and took their knives and made sure that they would stay dead.

"Let's go." Rick said, "Judith had to of run out by now and we still have a long drive home."

She coward in the shadow covered in both dirt and fresh blood she knew she wanted to die, but she was frozen in fear. She couldn't make out the two men in front of her, but she didn't want to let herself known. All men were the same, they had killed her captors but if they knew she was still alive they would take her and do the same horrible things that all the dead men had done to her. She tried to hold her breath, but couldn't hold back a little gag as the smell of blood and death hit her.

Rick froze one was still alive, or coming back he took his gun and pointed it in the direction of the noise. His eyes adjusted as much as they could in the darkness to see a small figure, a woman. His finger moved to the trigger.

"Do it and lets go." Daryl said as he walked up next to Rick, "It's coming back."

She felt her breath falter as she saw him appear next to the man pointing a gun at her. Her heart began to beat fast how could this be? He was here in front of her. She had believed he was dead after all so many had died. Yet she always had held on to a hope that he would be able to survive this, that if anyone could he would be able to. He wasn't like most men, he was strong he was a fighter he had grown up a hard life which made him ready for the new hard world that had grown around them. So many people she had known that grew up in comfort had died quickly unable to make it in this new world, she would be dead if this band of awful men hadn't found her. Up until this moment she had wished they left her to die she had wondered why she kept on living. Now here he was in front of her and she knew why she had held on for so long, hope that she would see him again. Then her heart sank as he raised his cross bow,

"If you ain't gunna do it Rick I will we have to go now the baby is hungry." Daryl growled.

Was this it? Was she going to die after all this time when she had finally found someone she wanted to live for? "Please." She whispered, "Please don't." her tears fell down her face she knew her voice was weak she only hoped they could hear.

"We stick to protecting our own." The other man spoke.

"Rick she's a girl." Daryl protested

"Who just tried to kill us." Rick told him as he raised his gun again and aimed at the girl.

"True." Daryl said as he let his cross bow leave the girl, he wanted to let Rick do this, but something about the girl's voice made him hesitate. He was never the one to hesitate. He watched as the girl pushed one of the dead bodies off of her and struggled to move out of the way. She stood up slowly.

"Don't take another step!" Rick growled, but still he hesitated to shoot her struggling with the idea of killing her. "Turn and leave, we won't kill you."

"I won't last five seconds out there." She whispered as she took a step forward, the light of Daryl's flashlight hit her face.

"That's isn't our problem." Rick growled.

The girl closed her eyes and held up her hand blocking the light from her eyes. Daryl felt his breath quicken, she was covered in dirt from head to toe, he could see the bruises all over her body, he could hardly tell her hair was blonde, but when she finally opened her eyes he felt his rest upon hers. Her big brown eyes he had been dreaming about. It was as if he lost control of his body, his hand reached up and pushed Rick's gun down so it wouldn't be focused on her. He moved forward stepping around the bodies quickly. Tears streamed down her face as she took a step forward she began to fall, but he reached forward and wrapped his arms around her as she fell into his chest. When he looked down at her he could tell she had passed out. He quickly picked her up, she was as light as a feather he could feel her bones through her skin.

"What's the meaning of this!" Rick growled at him.

"She comes with us." Daryl told him, Rick was about to argue but when his eyes met Daryl's he saw he wouldn't win an argument to leave the girl behind.

"We need to get out of her quickly walkers for the next mile had to have heard all the noise." Rick picked up his bag and Daryl's as they hurried back to the car. Daryl placed the girl in the back seat. Rick watched in surprise as he carefully placed the girl on the seat, why did he care so much about a random girl?

* * *

**AN- So what do you think I know I suck at action scenes and I will get better (I hope.) for the rest of this story. **


	2. Nothing But White Trash

**AN- Mostly a filler chapter. IF you would like to see a "trailer" for this go to youtube, my name is Freedomnova and the trailer is called It's Time To Come Home. **

* * *

As Soon as they were in the gates the car had hardly come to a stop before Daryl was opening the door to take the girl out. He wrapped his arms around her limp body and hurried inside ignoring the questions from the group he didn't care what they thought he just had to make sure she was ok. He put her down on one of the bunks and kneeled down next to her, "Come on girl wake up." He mumbled, "You lived this long don't die now." Still she didn't wake up he was able to relax when he saw her chest falling up and down to show she was still breathing.

"Daryl?" Carol questioned as she walked into the cell, "What's going on?"

"I need a bucket of water and a rag." He responded ignoring his question. Carol nodded her head and hurried away only to return shortly with a bucket of water and a clean rag.

Daryl dipped the rag in the water and softly began to clean the dirt from her face. He didn't talk he ignored as the cell filled with people. He just kept cleaning her off his frown grew with every bruise and cut he found on her. He felt as if someone stabbed him in the heart every time, who had done this to her? He could see old scars on her once perfect skin. He wanted to kill the people that had harmed her he only hoped he already had when he and Rick had killed all those men she had been with.

"Daryl?" Carol's voice finally broke threw, "Who is this?"

Daryl looked up at her then back at the girl, "We found her in the store." He didn't want them to know he knew her, not yet anyways if she died he didn't want to deal with their pity he didn't want them to feel sorry for him.

"You were ready to kill her until you saw her face." Rick told him, "Then you stopped me when you saw her face. Why?"

Daryl shrugged his shoulders, "She looked scared, and look at her I don't think she was with those men of her own free will." He paused, "She has marks around her wrist from hand restraints and she has bruises all over her body, and scars." His voice broke, "They hurt her."

"For all you know she's a traitor." Rick told him

"Don't say that." Daryl growled,

"Easy Daryl." Maggie said, "Why do you care so much?" Before he could answer her, the girl began to stir.

"Daryl." She whispered weakly, "Is this real." He turned as quick as he could and knelt down at her side again.

"Shhh" he told her, "Easy don't push yourself."

Tears began to fall down from her eyes, "It's really you."

"Yes." He mumbled to her, "Yes it's me, you're safe now." The group watched at the way Daryl touched the girl so gently.

"I never thought I would see you again." She whispered.

"The end of the world can't get rid of me." He joked with her, "I thought you were gone I went to your plantation after shit hit the fan, your sister had turned I only assumed you did as well."

"I didn't live with her anymore." She whispered then broke into a fit of coughing.

"Bring me drinking water." Daryl yelled to the others, Carl quickly handed him some. Carefully he lifted the cup to the girl's mouth and let her take it in slowly. "When was the last time you drank girl?" he asked.

"Two days ago." She said softly once she had her fill.

"What about food?" he asked her.

"I don't remember, I only got fed when I-" she paused "When I behaved." She didn't want Daryl to know how many men she had been with now due to those horrible men. He wouldn't want her she wasn't his princess anymore she was damaged goods everything he had once loved about her was gone.

He didn't push her to tell him what happened to her while she was with those men, he could only guess he knew the bruises he saw the scars he knew what they did to her. He would wait until she was ready to tell him he wouldn't push her. "We will get you some, why don't you rest."

"How can anyone rest knowing they could get us at any moment." She whispered.

"We killed all those men you were with don't worry they won't come for you." Rick told her.

"Not just them." She whispered again, "But the dead people."

"The Walkers?" Daryl asked, "Don't worry we are safe here they can't get in, sleep and know I'm here and I won't let anyone or anything hurt you."

"Hold me like you used to please." She asked. Daryl glanced up at the others who took that as their queue to leave. Once everyone left the cell Daryl climbed into the bed with her and wrapped his arms around her. Once his arms were around her she felt her body relax she began to sob, her body shook with her sobs and cries, but she knew this would be the last time. She had found him he would keep her safe. It had been so long since she felt safe since she trusted a man's arms to be around her.

"Shhh." He said softly, "Everything is going to be alright you're safe now Vicky."

* * *

Daryl sat on the ground with Judith in his arms he lifted her above his head making airplane sounds and the baby laughed. He grinned he enjoyed watching the little girl when he needed to. Vicky was asleep in one of the cells he had brought her some food late last night then they had fallen asleep. She still slept, but he couldn't sleep past the sun rising, most everyone else was still asleep when he got up so he took care of the baby to let everyone else still rest he didn't mind. By now Carol was already putting together breakfast for everyone across the room.

Vicky was wearing one of Daryl's shirts and a pair of pants from one of the other girl's when she walked into the room; she walked quietly as her eyes settled on Daryl playing with the baby. She felt her heart skip a beat, after all this time he still made her feel a way no other man had ever made her feel, even her own husband. She leaned on the wall next to him and smiled, "So you like babies now?" she questioned. Daryl looked at her and placed the baby in his lap,

"You made sure I did." He grinned up at her. She smiled down at him and knelt next to him,

"What's her name?" she asked.

"Judith." He looked down at the baby.

"Is she yours?" she asked as it hit her perhaps he had moved on, maybe he had a wife, this child, a family that she would be on the outside of.

"No." Daryl laughed, "I ain't had sex since this whole thing started haven't had time for it." He paused, "She's Rick's daughter the man that was with me when I found you."

"The one that wanted to kill me." She asked.

"He didn't-" Daryl paused, "Vicky in this world you protect your own you can't afford to risk bringing someone new into the mix, we have tried and its only gotten us killed. He's a cop you can trust him."

"How did you convince him to not kill me then?" she asked.

"Because you aren't a random person." He paused, "I know it's been five years Vicky, but." He looked away, "You're still my person."

She felt her heart race when he said those words, she had always wanted him to say that to her, or at least she had dreamed of hearing him say it again after he had left. She dreamed of he day he would come back, but had never thought he would. "And you're still mine." She whispered as she kissed him. The baby cooed in Daryl's arms causing the couple to look down and smile at her.

"Want to hold her?" he asked.

"I don't think her father wants a stranger holding her." Vicky told him softly.

"Rick trusts me, trust my judgment." Daryl told her, "If I say you're safe you are."

"How did you win the trust of a cop?" she asked him

Daryl shrugged his shoulders, "Different times." He looked at her, "With Merle gone I had to find a new family and they took me in, it took a long time before I realized I was part of this group, but these people here will stop at nothing to keep each other safe."

"I'm happy you found them Daryl." She smiled at kissed him again, "I'm happy you found me too."

"I'm happy I found you too Princess." He smiled up at her, but as he spoke she frowned.

"Don't call me that." She stood up as tears filled her eyes, "I'm not your princess anymore."

Daryl stood up and frowned, "Is there someone else?" he asked, he had assumed when she said he was her person that meant she didn't have anyone else. He glanced at her hand and felt his heart drop she wore a wedding ring.

"There is no one else Daryl, but I'm not your perfect little princess anymore, look at me." She turned and walked away.

"Carol." Daryl said quickly, "Take Judith." He handed the baby over to Carol then hurried after Vicky. "Wait a second." He said as he stopped her.

"Daryl don't" Vicky told him trying not to look him in the eye.

"No Vicky you're still my princess." He told her, "You always will be."

"No Daryl I'm not, not anymore not after what they all did, look at me, the scars the bruises, how many men-" her voice broke, "I'm not the girl you used to love."

"It doesn't matter to me." He told her, "If I hadn't killed those men already I would go kill them now, by Vicky you're still my girl you always have been always will be."

"After all this time?" She asked, "You never moved on?"

"How could I move on from you?" he asked her, "I never had a chance."

"But how could you still love me when." She paused, "When I'm no longer what you used to call pure."

"Girl." He smiled at her, "You loved me when I was broken why wouldn't I love you when you are a little broken?"

"How can you?" she asked, "How do you know I'm still the girl you used to love."

Daryl kissed her on the top of the head; "I walked away from you once girl I'm not doing that again."

* * *

"We can't keep this up." Daryl told her as he sat down at the kitchen table, "What happens when your parents find out."

"Annie already knows." Vicky told him.

"Yeah cause she likes me, your sister ain't your parents, once they find out." He paused, "don't let them find out."

Vicky walked over her blonde hair blowing in the wind. She smiled he didn't know how she did it but every time she smiled she made his heart race. The way her white sun dress hugged her in all the right spots made him want to take her upstairs, but he couldn't or rather he wouldn't. She had never been with a man before, he couldn't do that to her.

"I'm just the guy that cuts the grass, that you hired." He mumbled.

"I don't care." She told him, "I don't care what you are or who you've been."

"I've been to jail, multiple times." He told her.

"Stop trying to convince me to stop loving you." She told him as she sat down in his lap.

"Love?" he asked her no one had ever said they loved him before.

"Yes Daryl, it is possible for me to love you." She told him as she kissed him wrapping her arms around him. He paused for a moment but the returned the kiss pulling her closer to him. She broke away for a moment, "You don't have to say anything, I don't expect you too."

He wasn't planning on saying anything, he had never loved anyone or rather loved someone that loved him back other then possibly his mother. While she wasn't a great mother she was the only person that had almost been kind to him. His father always let him know he was worthless his brother had always spoken of loyalty but never love. His lips moved without him thinking, "I love you too Princess." He told her in a whisper.

"Take me upstairs." She told him.

"I can't," he told her, "you said when we first met that you were waiting until marriage."

"Who cares what I said." She told him

"I care." He cupped her hands in his, "I don't want you to regret that one day, and I'm not the guy to marry."

"I think maybe you are, you just don't know it yet." She smiled, "I will be your wife one day and we will have a family."

"Keep dreaming." He smirked he wouldn't let her know but that was his dream as well to belong in her life, to keep her his girl for the rest of their days. Yet the reality of the matter she would never be his one day she would belong to a rich man her parents approved of he would never be the type of guy to bring home to daddy. He grinned at her and picked her up and laid down in the grass first he started on his back but when she kissed him again he rolled over on top of her propping himself up on his arms, "I'll make a deal with you, if one day we marry then I'll take you upstairs." He told her, "But until then you will have to enjoy a PG version."

"You're going to kill me." She laughed.

"Victoria!" a shrill voice yelled. Vicky's head snapped up to see her mother standing in the gate looking at the two lay next to the pool. Daryl rolled off of her but stayed sitting on the ground.

"Crap." Daryl mumbled, "I warned you."

"What has he done to you!" The woman yelled as she hurried over and pulled Vicky off the ground.

"Nothing mother." Vicky told him "He hasn't done anything."

"You get off of this property now!" the woman yelled at Daryl. He wanted to yell back, he wanted to allow his anger to flow, but he held back for Vicky's sake she hadn't seen him angry he didn't want to scare her.

"Don't you tell him to get off my land." Vicky told her.

"He is white trash!" her mother yelled at her. "Way beneath you!"

"No he's not, he's better then any of the men you have tried to set me up with, he respects me, respects my wishes." She told her, "He's a good man."

"Vicky don't-" Daryl started but her mother interrupted him

"Her name is Victoria, Vicky is the name of some Trailer park trash whore!" she glared at him, "The type you're used to."

"Mother!" she yelled, "Get off my property now!"

"You can't tell me to leave." Her mother said to her shocked.

"I'm leaving." Daryl said shaking his head as he began to walk away. Vicky pulled away from her mother and hurried over to him.

"Don't leave." She said to him, "Please."

"Princess, listen to your mother." He kissed her on the forehead, "I'm no prince charmin. Go find the man that can make you happy."

He then turned and walked away the first time of many when he walked away from her the first time of many when he would try and leave her.

* * *

"You all did this, with your small group." She asked in amazement, she had been with a group of thirty and they still hardly had any place more then a night. They were never safe, they always were attacked you had to sleep with one eye open.

"Yeah." Daryl answered.

"And you all follow Rick." She question, "Even though he's the reason your brother is gone." She knew his brother was one of the reason he had left her, said he couldn't leave his blood when he was needed.

"My brother was a danger to the group, we went back for him, Rick lead the way and kept us safe even when I got hot headed he made sure I did nothin stupid." He shrugged his shoulders, "Times like this sometimes you need to look to one man for now that's Rick."

Vicky leaned back into his chest, "This is amazing it's like a sanctuary here."

Daryl chuckled, "Not exactly it's far from perfect, but its home for now." He had never dreamed he would hold her in his arms again.

"I was talking with Carol earlier she told me everything you did to try and help her find her daughter." She said softly, "And Carl told me everything you did to make sure Judith had food when she was born."

"Yeah." He didn't know where she was going with this conversation.

"If my mother could see you now she wouldn't think of you as she used to." She told him.

"Perhaps if you had been there that day more of my family would have lived." She said softly.

"I doubt it, I wasn't who I am right now the reason I joined this group was cause we." He paused, "Me and Merle planned to rob them blind."

"But you didn't." she told him.

"Cause Merle didn't come back." He shook his head

"I don't think you would have done it even if he did." She told him.

"Maybe." He said doubtfully. "Anyways I got to go for a bit help Glen on a run." He kissed her on the top of the head, "Don't let anyone know." He told her, "About us or what ever we are alright?"

Vicky frowned after all this time he still wanted to hide who he was or hide what they were. "I won't." She told him, "Promise."

* * *

"So you knew Daryl before all of this?" Carol asked Vicky as they folded laundry together.

"Yeah last time I saw him was five years before the outbreak started." She smiled thinking about him, "He mowed my lawn, or rather it was my sisters lawn I lived with her." She sighed, "Some how we became friends I guess but when his brother got out of jail he left."

"How long did you guys know each other before he left?"

"Five years." She paused as she folded a blue shirt, "He had some hard times so we let him live in the guest house if he did odd jobs around the place. It was nice she was recently windowed and I didn't want to live with my parents anymore and he just helped us out."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Rachel he creeps me out." She whispered to her sister

"Come on" Rachel said laughing as she bounced her baby onto her hip, "Just because he's a little rough around the edges doesn't mean he's creepy."

"I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't kill the squirrels in the back yard and used them in some kid of stew for his dinner." Victoria wrinkled her nose.

"Come on now you sound like mom." Rachel shook her head, "I saw him earlier when I went for a run, and he's sleeping in that truck of his."

"So." Victoria told her.

"I was thinking offering him the guest house in exchange for his help around the house you know with things we can't fix." Rachel smiled at her sister, "What do you think?"

"You want that hick across the lawn from where your baby sleeps?" she asked, "He's defiantly what mother would call white trash."

"Victoria come on I thought you said you wanted to get away from mom, give him a chance he's down on his luck maybe we can help him get his life on track." Rachel glanced back out at the man mowing the lawn.

"What ever you want this is your house." She shrugged her shoulders, "If you want a guy that has been in and out of jail his whole life living in your backyard it's up to you."

"Have you even tried talking to him?" Rachel asked.

"Nope." Victoria told her turning away from the window. "And I never will he creeps me out."

* * *

"Most of all what surprises me about him now is how much he's changed." She sighed, "Back then he couldn't handle my nephew let alone functioning in large groups."

"Tell you the truth it has taken him a long time to be part of this group for the longest time I think he just traveled with us because he knew just one couldn't survive long." Carol smiled a sad smile, "I think I was the first one to realize he really had become one of us when my little girl went missing he was the only one that really kept up the search I mean Rick and the others didn't give up but they got preoccupied, Daryl almost got himself killed and still he kept trying to find her."

"Did he?" Vicky asked.

"He wasn't allowed to leave the farm he was still hurt from his fall, but he kept trying eventually we did find her, but it was to late she became a walker and he held me back when I wanted to run to her. Then when Judith was born Rick wasn't in his right mind since his wife died at birth of the baby Daryl stepped up and went out to get supplies for her. He's taken a shine to her he doesn't mind helping take care of her or anyone else here." Carol glanced back down at the clothing she was folding. Vicky watched the woman before her, did she like Daryl more then she should?

"It's nice to see him as the man I always thought he could be" Vicky told her, "Actually it was my sister who first believed in him, I thought he was nothing but white trash that wasn't to be trusted."

"I think everyone here thought that." Carol said with a slight laugh, "What made you change your mind?"

* * *

"You have to be kidding me!" Victoria growled as she looked at the box with a flashlight she had no idea what she was looking at. All she knew her power was out and this box was the only way to get it back on. She thought these things were supposed to be in the basement, but she had found out that it also powered the guesthouse so it was outside. Leave it to go out when she was home alone during a rainstorm. She had thought about asking Daryl the guy that rented the house but he still gave her a strange feeling, the look in his eyes sent chills through her spine. He had been living on the property for almost three months now and she had done good to avoid him and keep her distance she wasn't about to ruin that record now. Lightning crashed making the nightglow she whimpered to herself she didn't like being out here in this storm, in the dark.

"Careful Princess." A deep gruff voice said behind her, which caused her to scream and jump away.

"Why are you sneaking up on me?" she asked backing away.

"I ain't sneekin on you." He told her, "Power went out so I came to switch the breaker box." He glanced up at the house that back at her, "You alone?"

She narrowed her eyes at him not trust him she didn't want him to know she was alone, that no one was around to keep her safe who knew what he would do with her. "No." she lied, "They are all up at the house I drew the short straw and had to come out and fix it."

"Great good you're doing." He moved to the box and flipped the switch. "Why didn't you just wait until I fixed it you know it's my job."

She just glared at him, "Maybe I want to do this on my own."

He snickered at her, "Spoiled princess like yourself can't hardly end care for yourself."

"I can too," she argued.

"Sure with your parents money or your sisters." He told her

"We pay you to do work not talk." She snapped at him before she stormed off. Daryl watched her storm away a smile playing at his lips as he watched her run through the lawn barefoot her white dress soak threw he hadn't let her know that when they had been talking.

* * *

"Time." Vicky told her, "He showed me that you should never judge a book by its cover. When I first met him a feared what he would or could do to me I thought so low of him because he grew up the way he did." She sighed, "Yet turns out the man I ended up marring was probably one of the richest meant around, but he was the one I should have feared not Daryl."

"You're husband wasn't a good man?" Carol asked as she thought of her late husband who wasn't a great man either, nothing like Daryl or Rick.

"No before everything happened he never was around he was cruel, then." She paused, "He was one of the men that Rick and Daryl killed before they brought me here."

"I'm sorry." Carol told her.

"Don't be I dreamed of the day all those men would drop dead." Vicky placed another shirt in the pile of women's clothing. "My mother would roll over in her grave if she ever knew the type of man Ethan really was and the type of man Daryl really is she had them mixed up."

* * *

**AN- Review and let me know what you think the more reviews the more inspired I get to write. **


	3. The Princess And The Bar

**AN- I'm still trying to get into character with Daryl and the others I'm better with shows I have been watching a long time so it will take time for me to get better at writing Daryl and the rest of the walking dead characters.**

* * *

"You can't keep treating him like that Victoria." Rachel sighed as they sat next to the pool, she held her baby in her arms while she shook her head at her sister who lay on a lounge chair sun bathing.

"Treating him like what?" she asked looking up at her sister through her sunglasses.

"The way you do throwing jobs at him that you could do yourself." Rachel shook her head, "If you wanted the fence painted why did you make him do it? You could have done it yourself."

"Why would I do work like that?" she asked, "He's lucky we let him live here its better then he has ever had it his whole life the least he could do is paint the fence and do what ever we want."

"Victoria if you keep acting like a spoiled princess you might as well go live with mother." Rachel found it hard to relate to her little sister she had always been able to see through the eyes of others. This man that lived in the guesthouse, Rachel could tell he was a good person just always been dealt a bad hand. She thought of her late husband he had grown up poor and had worked hard to become a successful lawyer. While the couple had money they never let it go to their heads even growing up Rachel never saw in the way her parents wanted her to. Unlike Victoria who saw those who didn't have much as less then her as someone to look down on.

"Don't call me that." Victoria rolled her eyes, "He keeps calling me that."

Rachel smiled she had hardly heard Daryl speak two words leave it to Victoria to get a man of a few words to talk to her, or at least call her princess. "Come on Victoria he's a human being. Don't order him around he doesn't have to listen to you I already told him you aren't the one that signs his pay check its me."

"Come on Rachel." Victoria moaned, "Its nice having help around again."

"He isn't The Help he rents the cottage and does a few odd jobs." Rachel shook her head.

"Here." Daryl's rough voice interrupted tossing a set of keys to Victoria, "Got 'em out."

"Where were they?" Rachel asked

"I locked them in the car and I thought who could break into my car, he was my first thought." Victoria put the keys on the table. "Mind running inside and grabbing me some ice lemon aid?" she asked Daryl who frowned.

"Ain't your service boy." Daryl muttered.

"Why don't you sit with us?" Rachel asked with a smile, "Just ignore Victoria she seems to have forgotten her manners."

Daryl didn't say anything his frown just grew and he turned and walked away without so much as a shake of the head.

"Sure it's me who has forgotten my manners." Victoria snorted

* * *

So much had happened since Vicky was brought to the camp. Merle had returned and Daryl had opted to leave her once again to join his brother. When he returned knowing his mistake to leave the group everyone else had welcomed him back with open arms, except Vicky she held him at an arms length away and to be honest Daryl wasn't going out of his way to fix what ever they had. He hardly even talked to her anymore. Merle's death had taught him that you should never get attached to anyone as more then just a companion. He didn't want to put his heart out there anymore. He tried lying to himself that if he stayed away he could handle if she died or something happened to her. Deep down he knew that to be false he knew it would kill him if she died.

He fiddled with his cross bow while he watched her from across the room, one of the men from Woodberry that had come to live at the prison was with her, making her laugh. He wanted to walk over and put his arm around her to claim her in a way, but he didn't he couldn't. Daryl Dixon didn't belong with her even at the end of the world she was still too good to him. He knew nothing of the type of man her husband had been he never asked. They hadn't gotten much time to talk once Merle came back, then once Daryl returned it was as if she didn't want to talk to him he didn't blame her and he didn't push.

"Hey." Beth said sitting down next to Daryl with Judith in her arms. Daryl glanced up at her but put his attention back down at his bow. "Are you aright you've been quiet." She said softly, "And you haven't really held Judith she misses you."

"She's a baby." He told the girl, "She ain't missin me."

"Sure she is." Beth leaned closer to Daryl so the baby could see him, the little girl was old enough now to reach her hands out to those she wanted, of course Daryl was one of those people the baby always wanted to go to. He tried to ignore the baby, but something about the innocent little girl always melted his heart always made it impossible for him to refuse her.

He groaned then spoke, "Come here Ass Kicker." The baby smiled up at him, which brought a smile to Daryl's face.

"There's the Daryl we all know and love." Beth smiled at him. Frowning Daryl looked at her.

"Huh?"

"It's just ever since Mer-" she paused, "Ever since your brother died you've been distant you don't even talk to your friend anymore."

Daryl glanced over at Vicky who was still talking to the other man still, "She ain't my friend."

"I doubt that the way you brought her in here months ago and she knew your name and-"

"I would do the same thing for you or Carol." He interrupted her, "That girl ain't special never was never will be."

The teenager smiled, "Never said she was special you did." She jumped up to her feet smiling and walked away leaving Daryl to only glare after her. He knew he shouldn't be bothered by the teenager's words, but once again he couldn't bring his mind of Vicky.

"There she is." Rick said with a smile, "How's my little girl?"

Daryl sniffed the air then handed the baby to its father, "Needs a change." He grumbled.

"Can't you?" Rick sighed.

"What do I look like a nurse?" he growled as he put the little girl in Rick's arms, "I'ma go kill somethin." He turned and walked away. Rick frowned at watch the man that he had grown to trust with his life. He knew the death of Merle had hit Daryl hard especially since Daryl had to be the one to kill him. He was worried about Daryl he was worried that he was pulling away. The last thing the group needed with all the new people was the loss of Daryl.

* * *

If her sister found out where she was right now Rachel would freak out, but that didn't matter to Victoria right now. All that mattered was her fake Id that said she was twenty-two and the clothing that made her look twenty-two not seventeen. She enjoyed the rowdy bar and all the free drinks she got from men that thought they would have a chance with her. She had never done this before, never drank this much she couldn't figure out why how could she have missed out on this much of a good time. She could let go dance and laugh, drink flirt with guys and know how much better she was then these people. No one could touch her.

"Let mer buy ya drink." A man slurred leaning down next to her.

"I already have one." She laughed and looked him over, not in any world would that man have a chance with her.

"Am I no goods enough?" the man growled

"You're not my type." She said wrinkling her nose still not seeing the potential danger she put herself in. She placed her empty cup down on the bar and turned to the dance floor. Dancing and drinking a few more hours turned her into a drunken mess. By the time she stumbled out of the bar it was near two am hardly anyone filtered the streets only people as drunk or even more then her.

"Where ya goin girl?" the man from earlier grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him.

"Let go of me!" she yelled trying to pull against him, but it didn't work he was too strong he yanked her into an ally and pinned her against the wall. Even in her drunken stupor she knew to fear what was happening, that she was wrong to come out here tonight alone.

"Nah one can here ya" he growled, "Nah one at all" he put his hand around her throat and kissed her forcibly she didn't know what to do she didn't know how to get out of this mess.

"Get her good." Another voice said, "Then share."

"Yeah share the fortune." Another called back.

"Shush up." The man that held her growled, Victoria felt tears begin to fall down her face, what were they going to do to her?

"Get yer hands off 'er" A new yet familiar voice growled. The man that was holding her grunted in pain and let go causing her to fall to the ground. She scurried away until her back bumped into a garbage can. It was hard to tell what was going on threw her blurred drunken vision and the darkness of the alley. She could tell that three men were all fighting against one man and it seemed the one man was winning, but not by much. She closed her eyes as her head rolled back she was so tired it was so hard to stay awake.

"Get up." She opened her eyes to see three men laying on the ground and another kneeling in front of her, "This ain't no place for a princess." The voice growled again. She felt his arms wrap around her she tried to push him away fearing he was going to continue where the other left off. "Easy." The voice grunted in pain as she hit his side she felt his arms almost let go of her she realized he was holding her above the ground now if he fully let go of her she would hit the ground. "Calm yer self princess."

"Get off of me you dirty hick!" she began to thrash around in his arms she heard him grunt again.

"Gah stop!" he yelled as he fell to his knees setting her on the ground, "You're one violent princess."

It seemed his voice finally seemed to sink in to her. "Daryl?" she asked squinting up at him.

"First time you used my name princess." He told her. She leaned her head into his chest and began to sob. Daryl froze he had never really comforted someone before he paused his hand slightly the patted her on the back and before he could think words came out of his mouth he never thought he would says, "Shh you're safe now I got you I won't let anything happen to you. I keep you safe." He didn't know just how many times he would need to keep her safe, or how true his words really where.

* * *

"I'm worried about him." Rick said in a low voice to Carol, "Maybe you should talk to him."

"I've tried we all have Merle's death really seems to have gotten to him." Carol said softly.

"He's pulling away he seems to think is better off going out on his own again and we all know that didn't turn out well last time." He shook his head, "He's going to get himself killed being so reckless."

"Rick." Maggie said softly, "We don't need to worry much yet he's just blowing off steam he needs to get his frustration back."

"Yeah you had Carl and Judith to pull you out of Lori's loss he doesn't really have anyone that relies on him that way." Glenn added.

"I don't know." Rick ran his hand through his hair, "He's acting too recklessly like the hot head we all knew in Atlanta."

"Let him kill some walkers." Glenn told him, "It makes him feel better and it will be less walkers out there."

Vicky listened to the group talk she hadn't really become part of Daryl's friends she had only arrived shortly before all the Woodberry people and it was easier to get along with them. While they had a community they didn't seem as close nit as Daryl's small group. They also didn't seem to have the strength of Daryl's little group either. She wanted to go talk to Daryl to find him and convince him to stop going out and risking his life, but she was to stubborn he was to stubborn they both were. She was still angry at him for leaving to go off with Merle. How could he choose his brother over her again when his brother proved himself again and again unworthy of Daryl. She knew the answer Daryl was a man with a code he followed it he protected his blood and those he cared about. In the end he had come home, but still she didn't want to admit to him she had missed him she didn't want to show him the power he held over her. She knew he had never hurt her physically in the past, but a part of her didn't want to need any many want any man. The way her body still longed for Daryl the way her heart still raced when she saw him felt like a betrayal to herself. She had thought she would never allow a man to hold power over her again yet without even trying Daryl held every ounce of power over her. She knew if he walked up to her right now and kissed her she would forgive him instantly, but she knew that wouldn't happen she knew Daryl was to proud to come to her. She also knew Daryl still saw himself as not good enough to her, but did he not realize in this new world he was a prize that things had changed she was not good enough for him now. She was a liability she would always need him to look out for her, protect her. She had gotten herself into trouble many times before the world had changed she had no hope of staying safe in this new darker world. IT bothered her that these people were worried about him, the way he was acting right now was the Daryl she had known, but they said it was a different way then he had been since he'd traveled with them. They said he didn't go off on his own, the Daryl she knew would disappear for weeks to go hunting on his own she would be worried about him until he showed back up at the old cottage. Had he really changed that much with these people? Had he become a valued group member who actually enjoyed being around people? After she had gotten to know Daryl she had learned he didn't do well in big group he never knew what to say or what to do. It was surprising that he had been able to become part of this group that seemed so different from him, for the first time in his life he had many people that cared about him that wanted to keep him safe. She knew in the past she had been the only person to truly worry about him, Merle perhaps did in his own way, but Vicky knew she had been the first to show him love in a kind way.

"Hey." A young voice said next to her causing her to snap out of her thoughts. She looked down to see the blonde teenager talking to her.

"Hello." Victoria said back she wasn't sure what the girl wanted. She found it strange how she didn't trust anyone anymore. Even this young girl next to her she had to think wasn't safe, couldn't be safe. She hated her mind for being so jumpy, the only time she hadn't been jumpy was when Daryl was around. Even now when they weren't talking when they were keeping their distance. He only had to be in the room and her mind would be at ease.

"Vicky right?" the girl asked.

"Yes." She replied softly.

"Have you talked to Daryl lately?"

"No."

Beth sighed, "We are all so worried."

"So I've heard." She paused, "I'm grateful Daryl rescued me, but we aren't friends."

"You seemed friends before he left with his brother." Beth told her.

Victoria frowned she remembered the days they had together before Merle had to enter their life and ruin it again. "I don't know what you thought there was I-" she paused as she tried to push the tears back she didn't want to cry thinking of Daryl she had spilled so many tears over him. "I'm not into dirty hicks like him."

Beth glared at her, "He's not a dirty hick."

"He doesn't speak correctly and just look at him everyone knows that's what he was before this all happened." She couldn't let anyone know she cared for him she didn't know why, buts that what Daryl wanted. Even thought she was angry at him right now, hurt by him she wouldn't go against his wishes.

"There are no hicks and other horrible terms for people anymore." Beth said still glairing, "Just people that have to stick together."

"Feel free sticking with Daryl then just know he will find time to leave again." She began to walk away, "He always leaves."

* * *

Where was she? She placed her hand on her head as the pain hit her. She felt as if she had been hit on the head with bricks. Images from last night flew into her mind of drinking, of the dirty man that attacked her. She felt sore from where the man had hit her and dragged her. Did he rape her? Was she at his place now? She remembered the man getting pulled off her, she remembered a blurred fight, but then he had come back and grabbed her. No. The man that came back hadn't been the dirty man it had been someone else, someone that had called her something. Princess..

"Fuck." She heard a male's voice from another room. She didn't know why she got up, why she moved closer to the door where the voice came from. She glanced inside to see Daryl without a shirt on her eyes settled on to his ribs that had an awful bruise that seemed many colors. His hand was rested just above the bruise wincing as he touched it. Her eyes moved to his back she frowned when she saw all the scars, many scars all over his back. What happened to him? Bar fights? She knew now that the bruise was from last night, but those scars where from a long time ago. She watched him open up the mirror and pull out something that he wrapped his torso in wincing as he did. As she watched him she hadn't notice his eyes glance up to the mirror where he spotted her watching him.

"Yur up." He mumbled

"What happened?" she asked fearing that he had taken her here to sleep with her last night.

"You put yur self in a bad place last night." He pulled a shirt over his head.

"Did we?" she questioned.

"Ya don't remember?" he asked as he walked by her into the bedroom she noticed now he had some bruises on his face too.

"Why am I here?" she asked again.

"Ya begged me." He turned to look at her, "Want somethin to eat?"

"I begged you?" she asked horrified.

Daryl raised his eyebrow then glanced at her only wearing his shirt and the fact she woke up in his bed. "Don't be so dramatic." He mumbled as he walked by her, serves her right for not remembering she had done something stupid last night, gone off alone to that bar. Of all bars that girl could have gone to why did she go to the one with the most low lives? "Ya could of gotten yourself in a bad situation last night goin there." He told her

"Did we?" she glanced at him then at the bed then at herself.

"No." he told her, "I slept there." He pointed to a wooden rocking chair. Victoria frowned did he really sleep on that chair there was no padding only wood no way to relax.

"That?" she questioned.

"Slept on worse." He moved past her and out of the room disappearing down the hall.

"Why am I here?" she asked following after him, "Why didn't you bring me home?"

"I was gunna you begged I didn't"

"Why would I do that?" she asked him

"Ya didn't want yur sister to know." He was in the kitchen now.

"So you brought me here? What will she think if she see's me walking out of this place?"

"That ya came here to tell me to do something else." He shook his head, "I went to the house and grabbed you some cloths." He grabbed a pile of cloths and threw them at her wincing as he did. "Didn't think ya wanted to go up to the house in the outfit you wore last night."

"Did you put me in this?" she asked, had this dirty man undressed her? Touched her.

"I had no choice you was runnin around here throwing all yer other cloths in ever direction sayin it wasn't comfortable that was all I had that ya could wear by the time I cam back yer were passed out."

"Passed out with nothing on?" she was horrified

"You had your panties still on." He shrugged his shoulders as if it didn't bother him.

She could tell she wore her underwear, but not her bar then she remembered she had gone out last night without wearing one at all. She felt her face growing red, there was no way this man hadn't touched her he was a low life, scum.

"You're saying that I was here in just about naked and all you did was put a shirt on me and lay me in your bed then sleep in that chair?" no man would do that, at least no man of his kind. The man that attacked her in the ally was the type of man Daryl was he wasn't a nice rich man who cared about woman he wasn't a gentlemen like all the rich men.

"Ya." He told her he saw the worry in her eyes, which caused him to frown. "You're the one who put yur self in that situation yur lucky I came along or that man would have done what you assume I have done."

"You can't say that here I was laying here and you didn't want to do anything to me?" she glared at him.

Daryl glared at the girl, "Ya ain't my type princess."

"Excuse me?" for a moment she forgot about last night, she was everyone's type scum like him should be following her around wanting her to give him a time of day.

"ya ain't my type." He repeated, or rather he lied of course last night he had wanted to be a lesser man and take her to his bed. Heck she begged him for it that's why she took all her clothing off but he wasn't going to tell her that. He had been thinking about taking her to bed until she told him it would be her first time. That was when he had gone to get her a shirt and put her to bed. He wasn't going to make that her first time he didn't want to be that guy. He knew Merle would be cursing at him right now, saying if a girl was that drunk begging for it he should of given it to her, but Daryl wasn't that type of man even if he pretended to be.

"Why not?" she asked him.

"Shouldn't you be getting dressed and over to the house before yer sister realizes you aren't there?" Daryl asked he looked at the girl wanting to be mad at her, but he couldn't why couldn't he be angry with her?

She wanted to argue with him, but she knew he spoke the truth she would have to get over to the house before Rachel figured out she was missing. She went into the other room after she closed the door she saw the bruises on her body from that man she frowned as she pulled a pair of pants on and then her shirt. She knew she should have just thanked Daryl and not accused him, but she couldn't understand why he hadn't taken advantage of her.

Walking back into the kitchen she smelt food, he was cooking she didn't even know he could cook. Daryl glanced up at her but then back down at the food on the stove.

"Well I'm going to go.," she told him as she headed for the door.

"Wait." He told her as he took a cloth and wet it in the sink. He walked over to her a softly brushed it above her eye brow, she felt a stink, but in the moment she didn't care. Her heart began to race it seemed her breath grew short. There was a feeling of electricity between them. "Don't want yer sister to see the blood, tell her ya fell or somethin."

"Huh?" Her mind was still focused at how close he came and how confused her body seemed to get when he came that near. She had assumed he would smell horrible, but he smelled good did he actually wear, what was that smell? Axe?

"The cut bove yer eye." He told her, "He must of hit ya there."

"Oh." She put her hand to her head and winced when she hit the cut.

"Well don't touch it." He growled

"I got to go." she said quickly as she headed out the door. She walked fast to her house, but couldn't help looking back at Daryl's cottage. She kept telling her self no, no she wasn't attracted to Daryl she couldn't be he was white trash; she was southern bell she couldn't like him not in that way not in anyway. But something told her no matter how much she tried to reason with herself she was attracted to the man who saved her last night.

* * *

"I'm fine." Daryl growled as Hershel stitched up his side, "Got caught on that fence."

"Daryl we found you passed out from blood loss in the woods, good thing it was us and not a walker." Rick almost yelled at him

"Well the Walkers showed up round the same time we did." Glenn added.

"You're lucky we got you out of there in one piece." Rick told him, "We've been over this Daryl I need you we all need you."

"I'm fine." Daryl growled back, "Just a little scratch."

"You're not fine Daryl you lost a lot of blood." Hershel told him, "You shouldn't move around just rest if I could I would give you more blood I would you need it."

"I'm fine." He said again.

Hershel finished, "Just take some time to rest."

"I'm restin since I haven't slept in a few days." Daryl growled, "Not cause this fucking scratch."

Hershel shook his head at the man's stubbornness, "Alight."

Daryl rolled over to face the well; he didn't see why everyone had gotten upset that they had found him. As his eyes closed he didn't know how long he slept, but he was awoken to voices.

"Mind if I help you?" a male voice asked, he heard Vicky's voice respond he could tell she was smiling just by hearing the way she spoke.

"Sure."

"So do you have a boyfriend?" the guy asked

Vicky laughed again, "No I was married, but he." She paused as she remembered seeing him with an arrow in his chest. "He died."

"I'm sorry." The man told her,

"Don't be he wasn't a very good man it may seem bad, but when he died I finally had the chance to escape him."

"How'd you end up here?" he asked.

"Daryl and Rick were out getting supplies." She paused, "They found me and took me in."

"Rick's a good man." He told her, "Daryl though is just like his brother, no one here trust him not after Merle."

"Chris." Vicky told him, "Daryl is nothing like his brother he's a good man Rick wanted to leave me he didn't want to have to protect anyone else but Daryl he saved me, he brought me here."

Chris looked at her in surprise, "He just doesn't seem like a group member he's always going off alone, he enjoys killing he runs around with a cross bow never talking to anyone."

Vicky sighed, "Yeah he does stand on the outside of the group."

"Even his own." Chris told her. A baby's cry stopped the conversation.

"I can't get her to stop crying." Carl complained, "Dad went with the others and asked me to watch her."

"Let me see." Victoria said softly, but the boy just looked at her uncertain.

"I don't know." The boy started, but then he remembered a while back when Daryl allowed the girl to hold Judith, if Daryl trusted her then he could. "You can try." The boy muttered.

Daryl moaned as the baby's cry reached his ears. He could tell Vicky held her now, but the baby continued to cry, didn't anyone know how to deal with Judith when she was colicky? He got up and walked out of the room, he felt like he was spinning, but he had spent many nights drunk it didn't faze him as much as it should. He walked into the other room and took Judith from Vicky. "Don't any one know what to do with a baby?" he mumbled as he walked over to the counter that had all the baby supplies and picked up some medicine. He dropped some into the little girl's mouth. "Shh." He told he baby as he carefully bounced her up and down, "Easy it's alright." He leaned against the wall and allowed himself to slowly slide down. His head was spinning way to fast for him to stay standing. The baby slowly stopped her crying and began to coo.

"Daryl are you alright?" Victoria asked him something was right she felt it.

"Fine." He mumbled as he closed his eyes he felt so tiered all of a sudden he hadn't felt like this when he first got up, but after moving around he realized something wasn't right.

"Are you, are you sure?" she asked, "You're pale."

"He says he's fine." Chris told her, "No need to worry I don't think he likes being bothered."

"Yer boyfriends right." Daryl growled.

"He isn't my boyfriend." She snapped as she went closer to Daryl, "If you aren't feeling well you shouldn't be holding the baby."

"You got no right tellin me what to do." Daryl growled opening his eyes to glare at her, this was the most they had spoken since he had left with Merle.

"I got every right making sure that baby is safe." She almost yelled at him.

"Don't you tell me I ain't safe for the baby." He growled at her, he wanted to get up to yell at her but he didn't have the energy to get up of course leave it to her to notice when he wasn't feeling well, leave it to her to point it out for all to notice.

"I'm not saying you aren't safe, but if you are sick-" she started, but Daryl interrupted her.

"I ain't sick." He told her, "Just tired yer talkin woke me." He glanced at Chris hating the man for making moves on his girl. No, not his girl he gave Victoria up she was no longer his. Looking at Chris Daryl could tell he once came from money, he had been raised a similar way Victoria had been that was the type of man that she belonged with not men like him, a man that didn't even finish high school.

"Daryl." She said softly as she knelt down next to him she started to reach to his head face but he leaned away from her. "You don't look so good." She told him.

"Leave me alone bitch." He closed his eyes again holding the baby. She paused he had never called her a bitch before; at least not in the way he made it sound right now. Sure when they had fought he had called her it before or rather said she was acting like a bitch, but never flat out called her a bitch. She shook her head and moved her hand forward again and place it on his head she felt now his skin was warm she noticed his hair was wet with his own sweat.

"You're burning up." She said to him she reached over and picked up Judith, Daryl didn't move to stop her, "Daryl?" she asked.

"Is he alright?" Carl asked.

"Go get Hershel, tell him Daryl won't wake up." She told the boy worried, "Daryl wake up." She took her hand and gently slapped his face. Carl still hadn't moved, "Tell him Daryl is burning up, Carl hurry up go get him now!"

"Is he bitten?" Chris asked, "Is he getting the fever from the bite?"

"No." Vicky snapped, but really she didn't know, "I don't think so the others would have." She paused, "They wouldn't have brought him back if he had been bitten."

"We don't know these people maybe they just can't let go." Chris told her glancing Daryl over looking for a bite.

"I over heard them talking he got injured, but no bite they were worried about him though." Vicky told Chris.

Daryl groaned and opened his eyes, "Whater you doin'?" he growled pushing her hand away from his face.

"You passed out Daryl." Vicky told him, "You're burning up."

"I'm fine." He growled trying to push her away but he realized it was almost too much effort to move his arm, something was wrong with him but he wouldn't admit it.

"He say's he's alright we shouldn't make him mad." Chris told her

Daryl in that moment seemed to forget his tough guy act his mind began to swim his body felt weak. "Princess." He mumbled, "It's cold in here."

Vicky was worried now his voice was so calm so nice, that wasn't him not at all he hardly ever spoke in that way. His voice was weak too weak. He tried to move again, but his head only fell to her shoulder. "Daryl" she whispered her voice full of worry, "Daryl!" But he didn't respond, she knew he had passed out again his body looked limp leaning against the wall, the feeling of his head on her shoulder proved he wasn't making any effort to hold it up.

* * *

"Why have you been acting so weird lately?" Rachel asked her sister, "You haven't been out by the pool sun bathing or wearing any of your sundresses."

"Just haven't been in the mood, I like being inside in comfortable clothing." Victoria told her.

"Yeah with the air conditioning on high its so cold in here." Rachel shook her head, "I don't understand you."

"You don't need to." Victoria rolled her eyes as she walked into the kitchen. She let out a yelp when she saw Daryl in the Kitchen fridge open. "What are you doing in here?"

"A pipe burst in the cottage." Rachel told her, "Ended up ruining a lot so he's staying here while the repairs are done."

"Why don't you do it yourself?" Victoria asked.

"Victoria!" Rachel almost yelled at her sister.

"Cause I ain't no carpenter." Daryl told her.

"Why not go to a motel or something?" she questioned.

"Victoria-" Rachel started, but the baby began to cry Rachel shook her head then headed upstairs to get the baby.

"Thought ya be more grateful to me." He smirked as he put a sandwich he had made into his mouth. "I did save ya." He spoke with food in his mouth.

"Ugh" she snorted at him, "You're discussing. Didn't your mother ever teach you to not speak with food in your mouth?"

"My old lady didn't teach me nothing." Daryl told her. "To busy drinkin and smokin."

Victoria frowned folding her arms on her chest, "Well it's rude."

Daryl shrugged his shoulders, "Not where I'm from."

"Idiot." She said rolling her eyes. Without saying another word Daryl walked by her.

"Where are you going?" She asked him following.

"Yer sister asked me to change a light in the hall." Daryl told her rolling his eyes. Moving a chair so he could stand up on it to change the light. Rachel came down the stairs holding the baby. Daryl reached up to the light

"Fuck." He almost yelled as he winced. Rachel stopped in her tracks and turned to look at Daryl

"Huh?" Rachel asked.

"Not used to his mouth huh Rachel?" Victoria asked, "You probably don't want him around your baby."

"Sorry." Daryl said almost threw his teeth, but not as if he was angry. Victoria frowned she saw he was in pain.

"Are you alright?" Victoria asked.

"Please watch your language around the baby." Rachel said no noticing the pain in Daryl's face as she walked out of the room.

"Fine." Daryl reached up and contained to change the light pain clearly playing on his face. When he climbed down from the chair Victoria walked over and lifted his shirt where she remembered seeing the bruise a few days ago. She inhaled air sharply when she saw his side. It was even worse then before.

"Oh my god." She almost yelled out, "This looks awful!"

Daryl glared at her and pulled his shirt back down, "Ain't none of your business." He told her.

"Is that from the other night?" she gasp, "from those men?"

Daryl pushed the chair back into place ignoring her.

"You need to go to the hospital." She continued following him even when he left the hallway trying to get rid of her.

"What the hell you want?" Daryl growled, "Tell me to leave, not want me here, then won't leave me alone?"

"It's just." She paused and glanced down at her feet, "That's because of me isn't it?"

Daryl rolled his eyes, "I've had worse."

"I'll pay." She told him, "For the hospital bills."

"I ain't no pussy."

"Language!" Rachel said as she walked into the room grabbing a bottle for the baby. She hadn't heard much of the conversation, just Daryl's last sentence. "Please."

"Rachel make him go to the hospital." Victoria told her sister.

" I ain't going to no hospital." He told Victoria, "Ain't nobody gunna make me."

"Why would he go to the hospital?" Rachel questioned.

Victoria moved to pull his shirt up again, but she misjudged the distance instead crashing her hand right into his side.

"Fucking bitch." Daryl yelped as he jumped back holding his side.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry" Victoria stammered moving her hand over her mouth.

"What happened?" Rachel question ignoring his poor choice of words noticing he was in pain.

"Nothin I'm fine." He growled. He wasn't used to people noticing when he was hurt, his mother had always seemed oblivious while his father enjoyed seeing the pain. Even Merle just turned a blind eye told him he was a pussy if he showed pain. Why did these two girls care?

"You are most defiantly not fine." Rachel said softly she walked over and before Daryl could react she lifted his shirt and saw the nasty bruise. "What happened?"

"Bar fight." He mumbled glancing at Victoria but not saying more.

"How did you know he had this?" Rachel questioned.

"Um." Victoria tried thinking of a lie, "I just er noticed he was in pain when he changed the light."

Rachel could tell there was something her sister wasn't telling her, but she ignored it. Right now it didn't matter how her sister knew, all that matter was Daryl needed to go to the hospital to make sure he was all right.

"Come on I'll drive." Rachel told him.

"I ain't going." Daryl argued, "It'll heal."

"Please." Victoria pleaded. Daryl looked over at the girl he wanted to tell her to fuck off and leave him alone, but he didn't.

"Fine, but I'm drivin'." He told the girls.

"Let me just grab the baby." Rachel told him.

"Whatever" Daryl mumbled as he walked to the car with Victoria.

"I'm sorry." Victoria said softly.

"If you grew up in the real world Princess you'd see this little bruise is nothin' to worry 'bout" Daryl knew his words were falling on deft ears, but still he wanted to make her feel better. Why? This girl was awful she saw him as a dumb dirty hick she had even said it the other night. So why did he want to do what she wanted? Why did he listen to her even when he didn't want to?

* * *

**AN-Review and let me know what you think, is this worth continuing? I'm also working on another story, a cross over between the walking dead and boondocks saints. **


	4. Always Looking Out

**AN- Excuse my lack of knowledge in medical care and injuries I'm googling as I go and some of my medical/ Injuries/ Treatment may be wrong but for this story lets just say its how the injury would be treated and how it would effect a person. **

* * *

It was unnerving the way he glared at her from across the room it was as if his eyes hadn't left her. She knew he wasn't happy, angry actually he didn't want to be here, didn't think he should be here.

"Stop looking at me like that!" Victoria hissed to him.

"I ain't lookin' at you in any way." He growled back.

Rachel watched the two it was as if she was missing something between them, why was Victoria so mean to him? The way they argued the whole way to the hospital or rather Victoria ranting at how stupid he was for not getting himself looked at and the occasional remark from Daryl, mostly just him growling something low at her that neither girl could hear.

"You are too!" she almost yelled at him

"Victoria!" Rachel scolded, "Don't yell in a hospital."

"He started it." Victoria scoffed as she sat back in her chair crossing her arms.

"I ain't starting anything." He frowned looking down at her.

"Would you two stop acting like children!" Rachel almost yelled at them, "What has gotten into you guys?"

"For starters I'm here in a hospital like a pu-" Daryl stopped himself remembering Rachel didn't like his choice of words.

"Your side looks awful!" Victoria told him, "You could be seriously hurt!"

"I've had broken ribs before, ain't nothin' the doc can do 'bout it." He growled. Before Victoria or Rachel could answer the doctor walked in,

"Mr. Dixon." The doctor smiled a warm welcome which caused Daryl to frown even deeper. "It's a good thing you came in I only wish you came in sooner."

Victoria smiled knowing she had been right to bring him here.

"You see here on the x-rays you have three broken ribs, anything above three can be fatal." The Doctor continued.

"Ya ain't gunna scare me doc." Daryl growled, "Had plenty ain't nothin' your gunna do other then give me pain meds."

The doctor looked at Daryl for a moment, "Before we go on it seems the nurse messed up on your paper work." He paused, "I need to ask you a few questions before I give you the prescription."

"How did you sustain these injuries?" The doctor asked

"Don't know have so many can't keep track." Daryl told him.

"Just answer him." Victoria rolled her eyes.

"Bar fight." Daryl growled glaring at Victoria.

"Why were you in a fight?" Rachel asked concerned. His eyes flicked over to Victoria for a moment, but then back at the Doctor.

"Yah know my kind, we drink we fight it happens'" he lied.

The doctor shook his head he hated dealing with the dumb hicks that flocked in here after their bar fights. "Blood type?"

"Whater need that for?" Daryl questioned.

"For your form."

"Just tell him so we can go home!" Victoria told him.

Daryl glared at her as he spoke, "AB Negative."

* * *

"What's wrong with him?" Vicky almost yelled at Hershel

"He must have been hurt longer then me thought." The old man told her, "His side is infected."

"From a bite?" Chris asked. Victoria looked worried a Daryl, he couldn't have been bitten.

"No." Hershel told him, "His injury on his side we found him many hours after he got stabbed and I thought I got the bits of rusty metal out of it, but I'm not so sure now." Daryl's shirt was off now as Hershel examined him his side was red and almost made Victoria throw up,

"What's coming out of his." She paused, "Side."

"Puss." Hershel told her, "It's infected." As he examined it more Hershel pushed on Daryl's side near the edge of the stitches, blood and puss began to leak out.

"Ew." Victoria mumbled, "All this happened in the few hours he's been asleep?"

"Sometimes, he's been asleep for nearly thirty hours, infections can start showing up in a matter of twenty four." Hershel told her, "I pray to god it's not tetanus."

"Will he be alright?" Victoria asked.

"I'm not sure he's very weak his fever is high, I wish I could give him more blood but we can't."

"Why not?" she questioned. "Can't someone do a run for supplies?"

"We have the supplies." Hershel told her.

"But none of us know his blood type." Maggie told the girl.

"We should know these things!" Glenn said aloud, "about each other."

Victoria sighed softly, "Will it help if he gets the blood he needs?"

"It would help." Hershel told her, "but"

"But what?" she asked.

"That's not the only problem, he's weak now from both the lack of blood and the infection."

"He's going to be ok though, right?"

"I don't know." Hershel told her.

"If you'd have to guess?" Glenn asked

"I'd say he isn't doing too well, who knows how long he's had this fever." Hershel shook his head, "I wish he said something earlier, what did he say to you?" he asked Vicky.

"Nothing he came out of the cell when the baby was crying we couldn't get her to stop he came over soothed her and then leaned on a wall slid down it and sat down still rocking the baby, but he closed his eyes and I could tell something was right so I went over to him and he was burning up. He tried denying it he then passed out I took the baby and he woke up, but when he did he just said." She paused as his words played in her mind _'It's cold in here Princess.'_ She looked over at Daryl his voice being so calm, so easy, so weak had send cold chills down her spine she knew it wasn't a good sign. "He said it was cold, and really it was hot in the room and he was burning up."

"If he got blood though it would give him a better chance?" Victoria asked.

"In theory yes."

"In Theory? What does that mean?"

"It means I assume it would."

"You're a doctor shouldn't you know if it will help him or not?" She questioned.

"I'm a vet or I was before this all happened I can treat little things, but I'm not a doctor." Hershel told her.

Victoria watched Daryl twitch in his sleep even now in his sleep he was frowning, that wasn't like him he had always been the type to finally seem at peace when he slept, now she could tell he was in pain. "He's AB negative." She said softly.

"How do you know?" Maggie asked

"I just do."

"We are going to need a little more proof then that." Hershel told her.

"I knew him before all this happened he worked for my family he got hurt on the job one day and we took him to the hospital, he said he was AB negative there." Vicky told them.

"Of course he would be a rare type." Hershel mumbled.

"I have the same." Victoria told them.

"Your willing to give him some?" Glenn asked

"Yes." She said as she took a step forward, "He needs every chance he can to get better." She knelt down next to the bed he was laying on and carefully brushed his bangs from his face. His hair was soaked even worse then before she doubted there was a dry hair on his head.

"Glen, Maggie I need you to make a run for extra supplies, try and find pain medication anything for infections." Hershel said as he stood up he looked at Victoria, "You stay with him while I got the things I need for the blood transfer."

The others walked out of the cell leaving Victoria alone with Daryl's motionless body.

"You're going to be ok." She whispered, "Right?" she felt a tear slip down her face. He couldn't die now she still needed him. He let out a small moan, as his body seemed to have a spasm. "Daryl!" she almost yelled at him. His eyes opened, but only slightly. "Wha-" he started to say, but his eyes closed and he rolled his head side ways, for a moment he lay still then he moved his head back to face her his eyes opened slightly again. "Goin' on?"

"Your sick Daryl." Victoria told him, "Really sick"

"Why ya cryin'?" he asked

"Because you're sick." She whispered.

"I ain't sick." He growled he tried to get up but it seemed his body wouldn't listen. It seemed in that moment he felt the pain in his side. "Ugh" he glanced down at his side, "Well that ain't pretty."

"No it isn't, you have an infection, possibly rusty metal in your side. And a fever burning you up." She told him, "Plus you need blood."

Daryl glared at her, "I'm fine." He told her, this time he forced his body to listen it responded enough for him to sit up. "Ugh." He mumbled, "Feels like I got shitface drunk last night."

"You didn't Daryl this is serious." She almost yelled at him. Ignoring her he tried to get up, but in that moment it felt like his world began to spin.

"Fuck." He muttered as he began to fall forward off the bed, he knew the landing would hurt.

"Idiot." He heard Victoria growl as she caught his shoulders and pushed him back on the bed. She lay him back down, "Lay down before you kill yourself!"

Daryl's eyes closed, "How do you do that?" he muttered before his passed back out.

"Do what?" she asked, but she got no response she knew he wasn't awake anymore. She felt tears come to her eyes she wanted to believe him waking up was a good sign, but she knew it wasn't a sign at all. His body was still growing weaker no matter how stubborn his mind was.

* * *

"The doctor said you should be resting." Rachel smiled at Daryl as she checked the food in the oven.

"Ain't mean I gotta lay 'round doin nothin'." Daryl told her.

"He said your lung was already partly collapsed!" Shaking her head she glanced over at him, "He said you shouldn't even be walking around you're lucky I let you out of bed." Rachel told him. As she turned her attention to the pot on the stove Victoria came in to room. "You've done enough around here now that you're hurt you are allowed to take a break."

"Hey useless." She said sitting down next to Daryl.

"I ain't useless." Daryl growled

"You've been sitting around here not doing anything for a day now." Victoria told him, "You're useless."

"Victoria." Rachel glared at her sister, "Enough leave him alone."

"What ever." Victoria told her sister, "Anyways I'm going out with Harper tonight."

"Where are you going?" Rachel questioned

"To dinner and the movies then probably back to her house to just hang out." Victoria rolled her eyes as she spoke.

"No need for the attitude just wanted to check." Rachel shook her head at her sister. "Daryl could you hand me the salt?" she asked trying to take her attention off her sister as to not get annoyed.

Daryl stood up and brought the salt over to the girl cooking after he handed Rachel the salt he walked close by Victoria and whispered, "Lair." Into her ear earning himself a glare from the young girl. Rachel never noticed as she paid attention to the stew she was cooking.

"Shut up." Victoria whispered back. Daryl shook his head is disapproval. A cry from upstairs drew Rachel's attention away from the food she was cooking she glanced over at the two,

"Would you two mind watching the stove while I grab Hunter?" She didn't wait for a response before she left the room to tend to the baby.

"Are you a fucking idiot?" Daryl asked her.

"Excuse me?" Victoria almost yelled at him, "You can't talk to me like that!"

"The Fuck I can't." he growled at her, "You're a fucking idiot if you think you can go back there."

"I'm not going back there!" Victoria told him, "I'm going to a different bar."

"You shouldn't be goin' to any bar." He told her, "Yer only seventeen."

"I'll be eighteen soon." She informed him.

"Still not twenty one."

"Doesn't matter plenty of girls my age go out." She walked over to the stove and looked at the food. "I don't know a single thing about cooking this."

Daryl walked over, "All ya gotta do is stir it." He told her, "Simple even you could do it." He looked away from the stove and back at Victoria, "Yer gunna get yourself in trouble."

"No I'm not I'll be with friends this time." She smirked at him, "In a group."

"Just 'cause you in a group don't mean you'll be safe." Daryl told her, "A bunch of pampered princess like you in a group together are what men pray on."

"How would you know, are you one of those men?" she asked him.

"No." He paused, "I ain't good at that kinda thing, my brudder is that type of man though."

Victoria rolled her eyes but didn't say anything back to him.

"What?" he asked.

"I just find it hard to believe you've never tried to pray on us 'pampered princesses.' Or what ever you call us."

"Ain't said I never tried, I just ain't good at it." He told her.

"Good at what?"

Daryl glared at her and didn't speak for a moment, "Talkin to 'em."

Victoria frowned looking at him, she found it hard to believe he wasn't good at talking to girls, yes he was quiet but he was attractive and she had thought that if he was around his own kind he wouldn't be as held back. "What ever" she looked at her the clock then smirked, "You tell my sister and you'll regret it."

"Don't care what ya do." He told her, but something told him it was a lie he was already making the plan to head out to the bars tonight just to make sure she didn't find herself in any bad situations like the other night.

* * *

Victoria didn't feel well she had to give blood every couple hours it seemed Daryl's condition took a turn for the worse, Hershel couldn't seem to find all the pieces of metal in his side the infection was still growing. Every time Hershel tried to get more of the scraps out he could have to open Daryl's side and more blood was lost. She had told Hershel she would watch him while he the doctor got some rest, she would watch to see if he woke up and hope there was some changes, but he had yet to wake up now in the past three days.

"Hey you." Chris said sitting down next to her handing her a cookie.

"Where'd you find one of these?" she asked with a smile

"I have my ways." He grinned back, "How are you feeling."

"Dizzy, tired." She informed.

"You should take a break from giving him so much blood." Chris told her.

"I can't." Victoria glanced back over at Daryl who still lay motionless on his bunk, "So far I'm the only one that is the same as him. Or at least the only one that came forward."

"It's putting a toll on you." He told her softly Victoria glanced down at her hands, Chris finger brushed under her chin, his thumb brushing across her lips he lifted her chin up until their eyes met, "I couldn't bare it if anything happened to you." He whispered as he moved his lips to meet hers. At first she wanted to pull away she wanted to push him far from her, but she didn't. Kissing him wasn't like kissing Daryl, but it also didn't feel wrong she enjoyed spending time with Chris and he enjoyed spending time with her.

Daryl moved his head in the direction of the noise he heard, why were his eyes so heavy? Why was it so hard for his head to move? He opened his eyes slightly letting in the light, everything hurt his head his body, the light touching his eyes. He didn't understand what was going on or even where he was or how he ended up here. Last thing he remembered was Judith crying and now he was here in more pain then he had ever felt before. Or rather a different pain it wasn't like breaking a bone, no. His whole body just hurt. Where ever clothing touched his skin, where his body touched the bed, every part of him. His head hurt when he moved his head, then more when his eyes opened. His eyes focused on the person in the room, he felt himself smile. She was here she was waiting for him. He knew he tried to distance himself from her but he had never stopped loving her not in all the years he had known her and spent away from her. No girl could ever hold up to his Victoria. He had tried to find feeling with Carol but nothing ever came of being friendly to her other then a good friendship. He never felt a spark with her; his heart never soared when he saw her. Carol was simply his friend nothing more. He had thought he would never feel his heart skip a few beats. That was until he saw her covered in dirt and blood in that dark supermarket. His Victoria so scared, so hurt. Yet once they got her better all his old thoughts came back he wasn't good enough for her. As he was about to whisper her name and ask her to come closer his eyes fully adjusted. She wasn't alone she was with another, but not just sitting and talking she was kissing someone else. He narrowed his eyes trying to figure out who was with her, his heart fell when he saw whom the man was. Chris. The man that before the world had gone to shit had been rich just like her. He was the type she belonged with he remembered that now. In that moment he felt defeated he wouldn't pursue her he wouldn't try and get her to notice him she was far better off with Chris. His eyes grew heavy again he couldn't keep them open any longer. He closed his eyes and before he knew it he was passed out again.

"Chris." Victoria pulled away, "We can't." she paused, "Not now." Looking over at Daryl who lay motionless, "Not here."

He grinned, "I know that wasn't appropriate right in front of the sick guy, but listen Victoria I like you, I like we could be." He took her hands in his, "Really good together."

Again she looked over at Daryl wishing he would jump up and say something beg her not to return Chris's affection but she knew even if he woke up right now he wouldn't care that she was with someone else. "I think." She paused and glanced back at Chris and smiled, "I think we could be too."

"Any change?" Hershel asked interrupting the two as he entered the cell.

"None." Victoria told him.

Hershel frowned and looked down at Daryl he picked up a cold wet cloth and placed it on his head. "His body can't take much more of this fever, and if we can't get food and water into him soon he won't be able to pull through."

* * *

It didn't take long for Daryl to know where Victoria was going there was only one other bar in town that served the lowlifes that hardly paid attention to IDs. He got there far before he did, but he blended in to the crowed as he sat at the bar and ordered drinks. At first he wondered if she would truly show up, but then his attention was drawn to a group of girls who stuck out like a sore thumb. Victoria and her two other friends were dancing on the floor dressed in outfits that would get them all the wrong attention. His eyes didn't leave the young girl dancing on the floor he knew it was wrong he was almost seven years older then her but he couldn't stop himself. He realized the other night when she slept in his bed that he liked her more then he should. He knew he never had a chance with her girls like her never went for guys like him. She had made it obvious that she didn't like him in any way. She knew she was too good for him she knew he was nothing but white trash that would never go anywhere in life. She knew everything he knew a princess like her would never go for a dirty hick like himself.

He didn't know how long they danced for, his attention only floated to the small group ever so often to make sure they weren't in any trouble. Tonight he mostly paid attention to his drinks and the game that played on the t.v. Occasionally a girl would come over and talk to him, but he would never say the right thing and either insult them to where they left or leave them uncomfortable with silent or one word answers that they would just walk away. After one woman finally walked away after he had accidently insulted her his attention went over to the dance floor he saw Victoria's two friends were still dancing but she was no where to be seen. His eyes scanned the dance floor she wasn't with them, why wasn't she? He began to worry wondering if she had wondered off with a guy that could hurt her.

"Boo!" someone drunkenly slurred next to him as they almost fell on to the bar next to him. "Are you spying on me?"

He turned to see Victoria leaning on the bar even more drunk then the other night. "Ain't spyin' on nobody." He told her, "Came to drink."

"You shouldn't be drinking." She informed him, "Not while you are on your pain medication."

"I ain't takin' them." He told her. He had seen what pills did to his brother he had seen what pills had done to his mother and even his father he didn't want to be like them.

"Come dance with me then." She told him.

"Don't dance." He took a swig of his beer and placed it back down on the bar. "Go find yer self any guy here bet they would jump at a chance to dance." He paused and looked her over he couldn't believe how little she had one, but still didn't look like a cheep whore. The clothing she did wear hugged her in all the right spots it made him want to punch any guy that even looked at her. "With you." He finished as he picked up his beer and let a large mouthful to fall down his throat.

"I don't want just anyone." She purred, "I want my hero."

"I ain't nobodies hero" he told her

"You saved my life." She stepped closer making his heart race he didn't know what to say or what to do he wasn't good at this type of thing, talking to girls having them this close to him.

"Don't be so dramatic." He muttered, "He wasn't plannin' on killin' yah just raping yah."

"You saved me from what ever that dirty man's intentions were." She purred even closer now.

"I'm just like that dirty man, just the same dirty hick." Why was she acting this way? Why did he actually enjoy her coming closer as much as he also feared the idea?

"You are so much more then that." She only stopped moving forward now because her body rested against his legs as he continued to sit at the bar stood, her eyes on his. " If you were anything like that man you would have had sex with me that night."

"I woulda if yah hadn't fallen asleep." He told her.

"Liar." She smirked, "You wouldn't have even if I was flat out on your bed with nothing on begging for it."

"Of course I would take you then." Yet he knew she spoke the truth.

"No you wouldn't have, maybe you would if you hadn't found out I've never done it before, the moment you found you went and found me other cloths to wear."

"You weren't supposed to remember that." He told her his eyes locked on hers. For a moment it was as if there was no one else around them no music no flashing lights or crazy drunk people running around. In that moment it was only the two of them lost in each others eyes.

"Whom do you have here?" a girl's voice finally broke through. Victoria turned her eyes away from Daryl's to see her friend Lisa next to her.

"Lizzy." She smiled softly, "This is Daryl."

"Hi Daryl." Lizzy smirked, "I hope you are being kind to my friend here."

Daryl just looked the girl over she unlike Victoria looked like a hooker you could find on any street corner, the outfit she was wearing was a size or two smaller then it should be.

"Don't worry Lizzy this is the guy I told you about the one that saved me the other night when I went out alone." Victoria told her.

"The one that got a few broken ribs and had a lung collapsing and still functioned for days after?" Lizzy asked moving closer to Daryl as well now intrigued by him. Victoria didn't like how her friend moved closer to Daryl she didn't like the spark she saw in Lizzy's eyes when she looked at Daryl.

"I'm tired." Victoria said softly glancing at Daryl then back at Lizzy.

"Call a cab then." Her friend told her "Harper and I are far from ready to leave."

"Fine then I will." Victoria snapped.

"You ain't goin' off alone you promised you would be in a group." Daryl told her.

"Well I want to go home and they don't so I'm going to go back alone." She snapped at him. Daryl frowned why had her mood changed so suddenly he didn't notice Lizzy's advances towards him and even if he did he wouldn't of understood why Victoria was upset by it.

"Princess you ain't goin' back alone." He growled, "I'll take you back."

"Wouldn't want to ruin your night." She snapped at him.

"You ain't ruinin' nothin' I was just here watchin the game so I didn't keep Hunter up." He lied. He had come to watch out for her and make sure she didn't do anything stupid. Stupid would be her taking a cap alone in this area who knew who was lurking outside.

"Fine, but we are taking a cab I'm not walking and you can't drive I've seen you pound those beers." Victoria folded her arms on her chest to show she wasn't going to budge on the matter.

"What ever you want princess." He told her something told him he would never win an argument with her so he didn't even try.

Victoria's friend frowned, "Aww Victoria don't take your friend home, let him enjoy his night out." Lisa moved closer to Daryl as he stood up so she was only inches from him she reached her hands forward and pulled herself closer as she moved her hips into his, "Wouldn't you enjoy the fun you could have here."

Victoria frowned she wasn't the type of girl her friends were she didn't throw herself at any man. She didn't know how nor would she. She was positive even now while she was drunk that Daryl would go for the girl throwing herself at him he wouldn't turn down an invitation to sex just to make sure she got home safely. To her surprise Daryl did everything she doubted he would. He took her hands in his and pushed them softly away from his body and took a step back.

"I need to take Vicky home." Daryl told her looking in Victoria's direction, "You ready?"

Victoria felt her heart skip a beat again she had always hated being called Vicky she had always said it made her sound like white trash, but when it came from Daryl it felt right. She nodded her head still too surprised to speak reaching forward Daryl took Victoria's left hand in his right, "Let's go princess." He told her still not speaking she let him lead her out the door and to the side curb where he flagged down a cab.

"Thank you." She said softly as she got into the cab.

"What ever?" He mumbled as he got in after her. They sat in silence for a few minutes Victoria slowly looked over at Daryl who didn't seem to be paying any attention to her.

"Why?" she asked upon hearing her voice Daryl turned to look at her.

"What?" he asked.

"Why take me home when Lizzy wanted to have sex with you?" Victoria asked.

"She did?" he questioned, "Didn't notice."

"How could you not notice?" she snorted, "She was all over you wanting you to stay with her and not take me home."

"I told you I ain't good at talkin' to girls" he shrugged his shoulders, "I don't like 'er type. So it wouldn't matter even if I had noticed."

"What type of girl is your type?" she asked him as their eyes met for a moment neither spoke, neither moved, then Victoria slid across the seat. "Am I?"

Daryl knew he should tell her no, that he should pretend he didn't look at her in anyway that could suggest he wanted her, but the amount of drinks he had tonight made his mind far weaker then his heart. "Not usually." He told her as she was now right next to him her face only inches from his. Her voice was now a whisper,

"What about right now?" she asked as she carefully climbed on to his lap so she was facing him. Daryl looked up at her,

"Right now it's taking every part of my strength to control myself." He told her.

"Don't," she whispered as she kissed him. Daryl took his hands and placed them on her hips, as he didn't resist her kiss, when she felt him enter the kiss she wrapped her arms around his neck never wanting the moment to end. She leaned into his chest accidently hitting his side. He winced and slightly pulled back his breath heavy both from the lack of air from kissing her, but also from her hitting his side affecting his lungs.

"I'm sorry." She gasped.

"I'm fine." He told her through the pain that was slowly becoming less.

"No you're not." She told him her face still close to hers. Daryl moved his lips to only be seconds from hers.

"Yes I am." He mumbled as he took his right hand and placed it carefully on her neck softly pulling her head to him causing their lips to meet. The two were lost in the moment they didn't even notice when the taxi pulled up to the house. The drive coughed to interrupted them and inform them. Victoria paid the fee as they climbed out, but it wasn't until her feet touched the ground and she tried to walk that she realized how drunk she was. Trying to talk was impossible she stumbled forward a fell into Daryl.

"Careful princess." He told her as he picked her up carrying her bridal style up the long driveway. He didn't paid any attention to the sharp pain in his side, he didn't care all that mattered was getting her home safely and quietly. Once inside he was going to put her into her room, but she began to get sick he didn't want her to be alone. Carefully he bought her into his room that he was staying in. He helped her to the bathroom when she needed to get sick and he held her hair back for her hoping she would stay quiet enough so Rachel didn't wake up. Finally she lay down on the bed, she begged Daryl to just hold her while she slept, said she felt awful and maybe it would help her feel better. He knew he shouldn't he knew in the morning she would be repulsed by him, but he couldn't stopped himself. He carefully took his spot next to her he wrapped his arms around her before he knew it she was passed out cold. He smiled knowing she was in his arms, when did it happen he started to fall for her? When did he let his heart trick him into thinking a pampered princess like her could ever fall for him? He closed his eyes knowing when he woke up in the morning it would be to one unhappy girl, but in this moment he didn't care.

* * *

"He's hardly stayed awake long enough for him us to get food an water into him." Hershel mumbled as he checked Daryl's pulse, "The fever still comes and goes it hasn't fully broke."

"There has to be something we can do!" Rick almost demanded.

"The only chance we have is if you can raid a hospital and get medication and IV's, but." Hershel shook his head, "The hospital's near are already empty you all checked them already all I can think is if you travel far form here." He paused again, "But."

"But what?" Rick asked.

"He might not make it Rick, I don't know if it would be worth the risk he could die while you are gone." The doctor shook his head, "I know it makes me sound awful but if you leave you'll take someone with you and that will leave us weaker. We can't have Daryl down and you gone taking Glenn or even Maggie with you would hurt everyone here if something bad were to happen."

"After everything Daryl has done for us he is worth the risk." Rick told him, "I'll go on my own and leave Glenn in charge, Hershel I have to do this you know Daryl would do it for me, for any of us."

"I know he would, but Rick he's lucky if he had another day left." Hershel whispered, "Any hospital with possible supplies we need could be days away!"

"It doesn't matter." Rick told him, "I'm going end of story."

Victoria sat by Daryl's head blotting a cold cloth on his face; she couldn't believe how willing this Rick was for Daryl. She had never seen him be part of a group and to hear he would risk himself for everyone else here seemed odd to her. Yet at the same time it didn't when he had risked himself to save her all those years ago he hardly knew her, but he told her he didn't make a routine of sticking his neck out for anyone. The two men left the room still arguing in hushed tones, something told her Rick wasn't going to listen to Hershel she could tell by the look in the ex-cops eyes that said he would risk everything to protect those important to him. She wanted to know how Daryl had become important to the cop, how he became important to the group, how he became part or the group that everyone else looked to. She had spoken to Beth and Carl a little bit and even some of the others in Daryl's group they all agreed Daryl was one of the main reasons they were still all alive. He was important to them she smiled as she looked down at the unconscious man.

"Some how you found your place." She whispered to him, "You found people that see your true worth."

* * *

**AN- I was going to add more to this chapter, but I thought this could be a good spot to stop. I've spent all day at a horse show (6am-9pm) I'm hardly keeping my eyes opened, and of course I have to be up at 7am and teaching riding lessons from 9am until 2pm tomorrow so I'm going to turn in early just wanted to give you guys a chapter before I knock out for the night. Review and let me know what you think. **


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